Improvement in corsets



EMMA swarm,

CORSET.

Pat-ent ed. Jan. 30,.. 1877.

Fig.1.

4 PETERS. PHOTO-LI THOGRAPHE WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Qrrroa EMMA SIVELLY REED, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 186,917, dated January 30, 1877; application filed January 23, 1877.

To all whom it may 00 ncern:

Be it known that I, EMMA SIVELLY REED, of Scranton, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of corsets, its object being to provide a corset which may be readily adjusted to fit differently sized and formed persons, and which will also form a convenient support for the lower portions of the under-clothing, and suspend the weight of the same mainly from the shoulders of the wearer; and to this end consists in constructing the corset in the form of a low-necked body, with divisions extending from the shoulder down each side of the back to its lower edge, the parts being united by means of, a lacing, so that they can be adjusted to or from each other at will, to adapt the corset to forms of different sizes and shapes. The back and front shoulder-pieces are separated, but are made of sufficient length to overlap each other under all circumstances, in order that the shoulders of the corset may be adjusted to fit any sized person, after which said shoulderpieces may be secured together in any convenient manner.

My invention further consists of an improved skirt-support, in combination with the back of the corset, and which is composed of an inclosed pocket or pouch of suitable fabric, provided with two bent springs to keep it distended, and capable of being either permanently or temporarily attached to the corset in any convenient manner. 3

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a View of the corset on the wearer. Fig. 2 represents a front view of the corset; Fig. 3, a back View of the same; Fig. 4, detached views of the skirt-support, and Fig. 5 a detached view of the removable hook.

TheletterArepresents the back of the corset, made to conform to the shape ofthe back of the wearer, and stiffened by means of two parallel central splints, B B, extending upward from the loweredge nearly to the upper edge of said back portion, so as to fall on each side of the spine of the wearer, and by two lighter splints, which extend up each side of said back portion along the division-lines which separate it from the front portion. The upper part of said back portion is widened and extended upwardly, forming, with the upper rear part of the front portion of the corset, shoulder-pieces U G. The front portions of the corset are represented by the letters D D, and are so shaped as to extend from each side around under the armpits of the wearer to the front of the breast or body, being permanently secured to or forming part of the back portion A at the shoulder-pieces G O, as before, and separated from a point at said shoulder-pieces to the lower edge of the corset, the parts being secured by means of laclngs E E passing through eyelets F at the edges of said parts. 'The said front pieces are extended upwardly at each side, forming shoulder-pieces G, which pass over the shoulders of the wearer, so as to meet and overlap the shoulder-pieces at the rear of the corset, being separated therefrom, that the corset may be fitted to the shoulders of differentsized persons, after which said pieces may be permanently or otherwise secured together, as may be deemed desirable. It is evident, however, that the said front and rear pieces may be permanently secured together, if found convenient. The said front portion is provided with suitably-shaped pockets or recesses H H and I I, for the reception of splints of whalebone, steel, or other stiffening devices; or the said portions of the corset may be filled with cork, cotton, or other material, as may be found most convenient. The edges of the front of the corset are provided with the usual splints J and fastening devices, by which the corset may be secured around the wearer.

The letter K represents the skirt-support, which consists of an inclosed pouch or pocket of any suitable fabric, provided with two V shaped fiat springs to keep it distended. Said devices may the back portion of the corset, either permanently or removably-preterably so as to be removed, however, in order to allow the corset to be conveniently washed, in which case it is secured by means of suitable connecting or fastening devices.

The letter M represents a removable hook, to which the strings for supporting the stockbe secured to the lower part of ings or lower under-clothing of the wearer are turned in opposite directions, the portion di-- rectly below said bent ends being bent outwardly, forming a spring-shank, which may be sprung into the eyelet N at the lower edge of each side, the bent ends holding the hook in one direction, and the enlarged portion in the opposite direction, so as to prevent the hook from being accidentally removed.

It will be perceived that the front and back portions of my improved corset are entirely separated, except at a point falling directly upon the shoulders of the wearer, and as said separated portions are provided with laces they can be adjusted from the hips up to the extremities of the shoulders by simply drawing or loosening the laces, and the corset can be made to neatly conform to the entire body and bust of the wearer, of whatever size or peculiarity of conformation; and as the back and front shoulder-pieces are adjustable relatively to each other, it is evident that those portions at which alone the front and back portions of the corset are joined can equally as well be made to fit persons 'of different shapes and sizes, which cannot be done, to my knowledge, with any other corset as heretofore constructed.

The skirt and under-clothing supports being made removable allow the corset to be readily and conveniently washed, which is a great advantage.

The corset is bound and ornamented at the edges, as usual, and at the point where the back and front portions meet and join is stitched across or re-enforced in any convenient manner, to prevent the parts from being torn asunder.

One great advantage secured by my improved construction of the corset is the facility with which the parts may be folded upon each other for packing and transportation, the front pieces, when folded once, being of the same approximate size and shape, and, when folded along the line of lacing upon said back portion, the whole forming a neat and nearly rectangular package, which can be readily put up in a similarly-shaped box. Another advantage of my improved corset arises from the fact that the shoulder-pieces form part of the front and back portions of the corset, and all shoulder-straps and buckles are dispensed with,'and material is thus saved.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A corset consisting of a closed back piece, I

extending at each side over the shoulders and front pieces, united to and forming with said back piece rear shoulder-pieces, the back and front pieces being separated from each other from a point at or near the shoulders to the bottom of the corset, and adjustably connected together by means of lacings, substantially as described.

2. In a corset, the back and front pieces, divided as described, adjustably secured by lacings and united at the shoulders, forming a rear shoulder-piece, in combination with the front shoulder-piece, substantially as de-. scribed.

3. In combination with a corset, the skirtsupportconsisting of an inclosed pocket, distended by V-shaped springs, and adapted to be secured to the back of the corset, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

E. S. REED.

Witnesses:

PHILIP F. LARNER, A. H. NORRIS. 

